Spearing in Winona, MN

[Dan Tenn]

I will have my darkhouse built by this weekend and am going to give it a shot in and around Winona. I have thought about Bartlett lake near the ridge and lake Winona. Just wondering where a good spot is on lake Winona. Good luck and thank you.

Dan

[Laska]

Hey, thats where I go!!! We should meet up some time n Ill show ya some spots, east lake has the best clarity, west is too dirty I tried that last week clarity is 2 feet! Ill have my permenant shack out there by thursday, check out my thread (6x8 shack in progress) for my shack so ya know what it looks like.

Cant go to bartlet, I had a awsome spot there and ya cant go there, long story short, just dont go there

[Dan Tenn]

I used to tip-up fish for northerns in the back of bartlett with good succes but it was in 4 feet of water. I think I might try Gordies. Let me know if you need help getting the house out. I'm in Winona 8-5 m-f.

[Laska]

Cant spear northerns in the river, so really the only place around here is lake winona, fortunetly its got a good population of northerns and quite a few monsters, Im hopefully getting my boss to help me move it on the east lake tomorrow, cuz I dont have a trailer to use, Tomorrow is gonna be a treat cuz I only have a hand auger and chipper. Should be ok tho... ill let ya know if he shows. Where ya from?

[Laska]

sounds like my boss is busy today, so I might have to wait to get the shack on the lake tomorrow... how sad...

[Dan Tenn]

Cant spear northerns in the river, so really the only place around here is lake winona,

Why can't you spear in the river? I can.

[Laska]

lol, cuz I got a warning ticket from the dnr at airport(bartlett) for attempting to spear northerns, its the river and its illegal, anyways I got my shack out, just need to cut my holes, im on the east lake on the big point.

Wish we could I know of alot of good spots to see some nords too..

[BehindtheHead]

laska next time your up near waterville you should give me a shout.

i think my buddy talked to you on fish lake last weekend.

[Dan Tenn]

Just spoke with the DNR about spearing on the river, and it is indeed illegal to spear game fish. Looks like lake Winona for me too. Oh well. That is a stupid law, and the first person I spoke with at the DNR told me yes and then talked to inforcement that said no. The DNR even said it was stupid. We need to get this changed.

Dan

[Gordie]

I wonder if that is only border waters or the whole mississippi.

[Laska]

Just spoke with the DNR about spearing on the river, and it is indeed illegal to spear game fish. Looks like lake Winona for me too. Oh well. That is a stupid law, and the first person I spoke with at the DNR told me yes and then talked to inforcement that said no. The DNR even said it was stupid. We need to get this changed.

Dan

It would be nice, should get it changed, there just isnt enough lakes south of red wing to fish for game fish.

In the reg's it says mississippi river, border water/ weith wisconsin

[Laska]

Going out in the dark house today, if anyone wants to come Im by myself, guess ill get all the fish today tho...

[Gordie]

youda mentioned it earlier I woulda met you out there.

[Laska]

lol, well ill be out sunday, its a drive for ya tho! Oh by the way I made a couple green hornet jigging sticks, ya want one?

[Dan Tenn]

It was in a weird spot in the regulations. It is part of the MN-WI border waters part on pages 50-52. On the top of page 52 it states "Spearing game fish is prohibited". I was looking under the ice angling and spearing section (No mention). It is also not listed under the prohibited lakes section (probably because it is not a lake). WI has the same regulations that MN does regarding boundary waters (rough fish only). It sucks in my opinion.

[Laska]

I will have my darkhouse built by this weekend and am going to give it a shot in and around Winona. I have thought about Bartlett lake near the ridge and lake Winona. Just wondering where a good spot is on lake Winona. Good luck and thank you.

Dan

Even tho I dont like people around me when I spear (other shacks) I would put your shack by mine or close to the same point, its the only real good chance of seeing northerns in the lake on the east side, the point leads into a sandy bay, and I know for a fact the northerns have there eggs in them already so they'll be getting fat nowa days; close to the bay and its good spawning grounds there, on top of being on the only point really on the lake!

[Laska]

It was in a weird spot in the regulations. It is part of the MN-WI border waters part on pages 50-52. On the top of page 52 it states "Spearing game fish is prohibited". I was looking under the ice angling and spearing section (No mention). It is also not listed under the prohibited lakes section (probably because it is not a lake). WI has the same regulations that MN does regarding boundary waters (rough fish only). It sucks in my opinion.

Yeah, the dnr guy pointed it out to me, it was in a weird spot so I missed it, luckily I just got a warning.

[Dan Tenn]

Going out in the dark house today, if anyone wants to come Im by myself, guess ill get all the fish today tho...

Just checked out your house at lunch. What time will you be out, I'd like to stop by. Curious to the depth your in and structure. I was anticipating hitting gordies but thats not possible for spearing (I may just fish it).

[Laska]

Ill be there around 2:30 so half hour, gotta cut my holes hang auger power man, old school style, I got all my things in there all I gotta do is cut the holes and push the shack over them. Gordies is really good for panfish if thats what your after, what did ya think of the shack? If ya wanna call me before ya come out its 507=313=1056 names John

[Dan Tenn]

I'll see you there. I would have brought my power auger for you had I known. I will try to get there and help you cut. Cutting holes is still better than working.

Dan

[Gordie]

lol, well ill be out sunday, its a drive for ya tho! Oh by the way I made a couple green hornet jigging sticks, ya want one?

I will be up on gull lake this weekend maybe one day next week unless I get back to work( man I hate that word) or will see ya at the GTG next sunday. green hornet thats cool.

[Laska]

Thx for the help today dan, man it was a pain... Too bad I didnt see any fish, better luck on sakaktah tomorrow, then lake winona on sunday

[Peepers]

yeah the border-waters no spearing rule stinks. I live in Hastings now, went to school in Winona and have some friends down that way. I think the border-water regs are negotiated between both states and since WI doesn't allow spearing you can guess how that goes. I have a friend that used to spear in WI as a kid with his dad so I think they used to allow it but not now. Its good that we have the MDAA around so that we can still spear in MN. with all the anti groups out there now-adays I'm thinking of joining MDAA. This is my first year spearing but I really like it and wouldn't be too happy if it got banned statewide like in WI.

anyhow - its great to hear that you're out on lake Winona and having some luck. I'm hoping to get down there and do some ice fishing on the backwaters with my buddy that lives down near Houston yet this year. If I can get down there in Feb I'll have to find your shack out on lake winona!

[Laska]

yeah, starting to get the vibe with Anti-Spear people, seriously its a 1000+ years old, I cant believe its been banned in other areas... I think the anti-spear people think we all keep open holes and dont mark them when we leave and yotta yotta, for me and other spearmen on this forum, we are very responsible and do the best we can to preserve the sport.

Ill be gone from Feb 9th til March 9th outta town so my gf already said she was taking the spearhouse over on lake winona, which I think is a great idea, she is getting her spear license tonight after watching me a bunch of times and hopefully when I go out with her tomorrow she can have the spear in hand and get her very first northern!

[Laska]

laska next time your up near waterville you should give me a shout.

i think my buddy talked to you on fish lake last weekend.

Ill be up tomorrow around 9:30am til 3:00 or so... so yeah this is my shout, Ill be on Sakatah, on the first point on the north side of the lake in the row of darkhouses, look for a quickfish 3 and my name is john, look for a black cobalt n u'll be in the right place, tag along if ya want my gf n I will be spearing. The guy I talked to was Garett n he has a 4x4 drkhouse on sakatah grey in color.

#507-313-1056 call if ya wanna come out